Human Rights Foundation of Turkey Documentation Center[1][2][3][4][5]
18 March 2021 Daily Human Rights Report
(03/204) Police Prevention to Protest About Hunger Strikes in Prison…
The police prevented the press declaration of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Diyarbakır on March 17, 2021; which was held to draw attention to indefinite hunger strikes that started on November 27, 2020 in prisons to demand an end to isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan. It is learned that the group held a sit-in protest upon prevention.
(03/205) Detained Journalist in Istanbul…
Journalist Enver Aysever is detained in the police station where he went to make official statement through an investigation against him on March 17, 2021. The reason of detention is a warrant issued through another investigation. Enver Aysever is released after statement procedures at Istanbul Anadolu Courthouse on the same day.
(03/206) Detained Person in Van…
On March 17, 2021, 1 person (Halime Kaval) is detained in Van and taken to Van Provincial Gendarmerie Command. The reason of detention is unknown.
(03/207) Co-Mayor on Trial…
The final trial of the case against Adnan Topçu, HDP co-mayor of Bulanık district of Muş who was suspended and replaced by a trustee, is held at Muş Heavy Penal Court No 2 on March 17, 2021.
The court sentenced Adnan Topçu to 8 years 1 month and 15 days in total, 6 years 10 months and 15 days on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ and to 1 year and 3 months on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’.
Adnan Topçu was detained on March 12, 2019 and was arrested by the court on the charge of ‘being an illegal organisation member’ on March 19, 2019. He was released from prison at the trial held on December 23, 2020. The Ministry of Interior has appointed a trustee to Bulanık municipality on December 18, 2019.
(03/208) Mayor on Trial…
The final trial of the case against Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, on the grounds of insulting former governor of Ordu city, is held at Ordu Penal Court of First Instance No 4 on March 17, 2021. The court sentenced Ekrem Imamoğlu to a penalty fine of 7,080 Turkish Liras.
(03/209) Boğaziçi University Students on Trial…
The first trial of 7 students of Boğaziçi University including 2 arrested students, on the grounds of a picture depicting Kaaba at an exhibition as part of protests against the new rector appointed to the university, is held at Istanbul Penal Court of First Instance No 21 on March 17, 2021.
After defence hearings the court decided to release Selahattin Can Uğuzeş and Doğu Demirtaş; and to lift house confinement of Sena Nur Baş, and adjourned the trial to July 5, 2021.
(03/210) Journalist on Trial in Istanbul…
The final trial of the case against Sendika.org editor Ali Ergin Demirhan is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 24 on March 17, 2021.
The indictment demands sentence for Ali Ergin Demirhan on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’, for several news reports published on the news portal between January and March 2018.
The court sentenced Ali Ergin Demirhan to a penalty fine of 7,000 Turkish Liras on the charge of ‘insulting the President’.
(03/211) HDP Executive on Trial…
The final trial of the case against HDP’s former spokesperson Günay Kubilay is held at Ankara Heavy Penal Court No 4 on March 17, 2021.
The indictment demands sentence for Günay Kubilay on the charge of ‘making propaganda for an illegal organisation’ for the speeches he made as the spokesperson.
Günay Kubilay joined the trial from prison via sound and vision system as he was arrested through another case. The court acquitted Günay Kubilay.
(03/212) ESP and SGDF Members and Journalist on Trial…
The trial of the case against 23 people including Etkin News Agency reporter Adil Demirci, the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) member Mesut Çeki and Socialist Youth Associations’ Federation (SGDF) central executive board member Özge Doğan, is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 25 on March 17, 2021. After defence hearings the court adjourned the trial to September 15, 2021.
(03/213) ESP Members and Executives on Trial in Istanbul…
The first trial of the case against executive board member Çiçek Otlu, Party Assembly member Ali Haydar Keleş of the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) and Özgür Barçın and Taner Taş is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 25 on March 17, 2021.
5 people joined the trial from prison via sound and vision system. After defence hearings the court decided to release 5 people and adjourned the trial to September 15, 2021.
(03/214) Festus Okey Case…
The final trial of the case against police officer Cengiz Yıldız, for death of Festus Okey, a Nigerian citizen, is held at Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 21 on March 17, 2021. Festus Okey was detained in Beyoğlu district of Istanbul on August 20, 2007 and died at Beyoğlu Police Station.
The court board ruled to take journalists and lawyers who were not mentioned in the minutes off the courtroom. The court sentenced Cengiz Yıldız to life imprisonment on the charge of ‘intentional killing with probable intent’ and then reduced the sentence to 16 years and 8 months in view of the fact that “it would have possible effects on the defendant’s future”.
Istanbul Heavy Penal Court No 21 has sentenced Cengiz Yıldız to 4 years and 2 months on the charge of ‘reckless killing’ on December 13, 2011. Penal Department No 1 of the Cassation Court has found it nonprocedural that intervention demands of Festus Okey’s family was rejected by the local court, and send the case back to local court for a retrial. The local court however insisted on its previous verdict, and ruled as the same on June 5, 2014. Penal Department No 1 of the Cassation Court reversed the local court’s verdict and the case was reopened.
(03/215) Ban of Events in Hakkari…
Hakkari Governorate made a declaration on March 16, 2021 and announced that all meetings, open-door assemblies, demonstrations, marches, sit-in protests, human chains, op-ed stands, public sessions, any kind of audio-visual activities with mobile audio-visual vehicles, hunger strikes, opening stands, collecting petitions, flying sky lanterns or balloons, commemorations, concerts, festivals, theatre plays, screening shows, firing torches, distributing leaflets, hanging banners and so on are banned for 15 days as of March 17, 2021.
(03/216) Ban of Access to Web Contents…
It is learned that a news report about Halkbank case published on https://t24.com.tr website is banned to access on the grounds of violation of personal rights by Istanbul Anadolu Penal Court of Peace No 4 on March 16, 2021.
It is learned that a news reports about the case against journalist Pelin Ünker for the news reports on Paradise Papers, published on https://www.dw.com/tr/ , http://www.diken.com.tr, https://www.gazeteduvar.com.tr websites are banned to access on the grounds of violation of personal rights by Istanbul Anadolu Penal Court of Peace No 4 on March 16, 2021.
It is learned that a news reports mentioning Serhat Albayrak, published on https://odatv4.com, https://www.cumhuriyet.com.tr, https://susma24.com websites are banned to access on the grounds of violation of personal rights by Istanbul Anadolu Penal Court of Peace No 4 on March 16, 2021.
(03/217) Covid-19 Pandemic…
The Ministry of Health declared that 73 people died due to Covid-19 pandemic and 869 new Covid-19 ill patients were diagnosed on March 17, 2021. It is also declared that the daily number of Covid-19 case is 18,912.
The death toll from Covid-19 in Turkey increased to 29,696 and total number of confirmed ill patients is 2,930,554 as of March 17, 2021.
[1]The reports on the human rights violations of the Documentation Center are claims unless they are certified. The claim of violation either is certified through thoroughly investigations of HRFT Documentation Center, including by judicial verdicts, and becomes a definite data or it is not included to the annual report.
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[5] Daily Human Rights Reports are prepared on the information gathered by the Documentation Center from its own network and the following dailies and internet portals: Vatan, Milliyet, Hürriyet, Habertürk, Evrensel, Birgün, Cumhuriyet, Fırat Haber Ajansı, Jinnews, ETHA, Mezopotamya Ajansı, Yurt, Yeni Yaşam, NTV, Yeni Asya, Bianet, Halkinsesi.tv, Cnnturk, Tr724, İleri Haber, Siyasi Haber, Alınteri, Kızılbayrak, Sendika.org, Yüksekova Haber, T24, Diken, Gazete Karınca, Gazete Duvar. Haber Sol, El Cezire, BBC, Deutsche Welle, Reuters, AFP.